Plant-based cooking in the Dutch hospitality industry
Plant-based cooking with Violife Professional 
Plant-based cooking with Violife Professional
We have just finished ‘Veganuary’, an initiative that seems to be increasing in popularity. But has this plant-based revolution also had an effect on plant-based cooking in the Dutch hospitality industry? The simple answer is ‘yes’ but there is also much to be gained for plant-based, according to research by Violife Professional. With a recipe for vegan ‘Vietnamese Summer Rolls’.
4 minutes read
Research | Plant-based cooking increasingly normal but more experience is desired
- The majority of chefs (89%) say they have experience with plant-based cooking.
- 1 in 10 chefs (11%) consider their own experience with plant-based cooking to be enough.
- 97% of chefs say they have plant-based dishes on their menus.
In the Dutch hospitality industry, plant-based cooking already seems to be quite normalised, according to Violife Professional’s survey. Despite the fact that most chefs in the Netherlands consider themselves meat-eaters, many of them have experience with plant-based cooking (89%). What is striking to see is that chefs in independent restaurants have more experience with plant-based cooking than chefs in other kitchens such as catering kitchens or hotels. In big cities, more chefs have experience with plant-based cooking (96%), where in small towns or villages this is a smaller number: 78%.
Plant-based options increasingly found on menus
The need for chefs to gain more experience in plant-based cooking is a striking one, given that plant-based menu options are widely used. In fact, all chefs report having plant-based options on their menu (97%). And even 49% of chefs indicate that half of their menu is plant-based. In addition, 1 in 5 chefs surveyed (21%) offer the option of making every dish on the menu plant-based.
However, there is still a lot to learn! Only 1 in 10 chefs in the Netherlands (11%) consider their own experience with plant-based cooking to be enough. As many as three quarters of chefs in the Netherlands need more experience with plant-based cooking (73%). So there really is a lot to be gained here.
Reinier Kempenaar on plant-based cooking in the Dutch hospitality industry
Reinier Kempenaar, owner and founder at restaurant De Dyck in Woubrugge, says: “In my opinion, the lack of experience in plant-based cooking among chefs is mainly due to a lack of attention to this subject during chef training. In my experience, most chef training is still focused on ‘classic’ products, and these are often animal-based. Besides training, I believe that the various organisations involved in rating restaurants – such as the ‘Gault&Millau’ and the Dutch ‘Lekker’ – should focus much more on plant-based/less animal-based products. Michelin, with their ‘green star’, is really leading the way in this. Of course, these organisations focus on the higher end but, in my view, these chefs are often forerunners. If they adapt, this will eventually also encourage chefs and training courses to pay more attention to plant-based cooking.”
Plant-based options increasingly found on menus
The need for chefs to gain more experience in plant-based cooking is striking, given that plant-based menu options are widely used. In fact, all chefs report having plant-based options on their menu (97%). And even 49% of chefs indicate that half of their menu is plant-based. In addition, 1 in 5 chefs surveyed (21%) offer the option of making every dish on the menu plant-based.
How are these plant-based items presented on the menu? It is interesting to see that especially chefs in larger cities choose to put a plant-based dish on the menu without a plant-based logo or icon (55%). This is different in smaller towns and villages, where these icons are used more often. “By making vegetarian dishes green on our menu, we hope to surprise our guests and inspire them to maybe choose more vegan options in the future. At restaurant chain ‘t Zusje, we cherish the art of ‘doing things just a little differently’. Our philosophy goes beyond ‘Burgundy enjoyment’ alone. We think it is important to think about the future and what we leave to our (grand)children. If we continue in the same way, the demand for meat and fish will become impossible to meet. Not that we should cut them out completely, but a little less every now and then would be fine. Even at our restaurants. With our creative combinations we want to show that the vegetarian cuisine is not only tasty but is also surprising,’ says Peter Smits, founder of restaurant chain ‘t Zusje.
The convenience of plant-based in the kitchen
Despite seeing more and more plant-based dishes on menus, there is still room for improvement. This is notable because preparing dishes with plant-based cream has a number of advantages. For instance, it is free of lactose and other allergens, it is easy and quick to process (for instance, it does not need to be boiled down and does not skim) and it is a more sustainable alternative to dairy. So plant-based on the menu can be done very easily with the right products! The main reason the vast majority of chefs gave (70%) for not using these kinds of products (yet) is price. But plant-based ingredients, such as cream, are not more expensive nowadays.
Valérie de Moor Violife Professional: “We notice that the perception still exists that plant-based is more expensive but it doesn’t have to be that way! On the contrary, we try to offer our plant-based products at a similar price. For example, our Flora Plant 15% Professional has the same price as a cooking cream pack of animal dairy. This is how we help professionals in the out-of-home sector, from chefs to bakers, adapt their menus to more plant-based dishes that are good for their kitchens, their guests and our planet.”
The recipe for the vegan Vietnamese Summer Rolls can be found here. They have a lot of different recipes on their website!
Website: Violife Professional
